Jess Kent: A Fierce Attitude with Music to Match

THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2017 |

Posted by: Kirsten Spruch

There are few artists with an attitude like Jess Kent. When she visited our office, she was rocking jeans with ties going all the way up her legs, mismatched Converse (one black, one white), and bright purple eyeliner...But it was more than just her wardrobe. She had a carefree way of speaking in a confident, honest way that reminded us a bit of Charli XCX or even Tove Lo. While loose comparisons can be made, there's really no one else quite like her.

When I asked about the meaning behind the title of her debut EP My Name Is Jess Kent, her answer was perfect: "Well, my name is Jess Kent..." That response pretty much sets the tone for the whole EP. Her anthemic single "Get Down" (which Coldplay found online, resulting in a supporting spot on their Asia tour), exudes boldness. Kent's personality that we fell in love with when she walked into our office shines through in the video for the song, the screen changing on beat with different emojis to match the lyrics. "It took three hours for every three seconds of emojis," and then she went on to talk in emojis IRL.

Kent got her start busking on the streets of Australia, where she was born and raised, and shortly after Coldplay found her song, she hopped on tour with them...So you could say she went from one extreme to another. "We went from the street to the stadium, which is quite funny," she said, as if she was just realizing it for the first time herself. "It's really, really fun. No lie...It's hot and everyone's just kind of strolling and we'd busk by the beach or open air shopping mall so people are just walking around and we'd be like 'hey come over, party with us!'" After chatting with Kent and listening to her other songs like the Caribbean-tinged "Sweet Spot" or the club-ready "Bass So Low," I'd definitely love to party with her. Just like her attitude, she's got the fierce songs to match.